When I last posted, I was writing about getting my parents to Elk Horn to "meet" my dad's cousins. I contacted Ardell and let her know when my parents and I would be making a trip up, and I asked if it would be possible to get together while we were there. She graciously accepted an invitation to have a cup of coffee with us in the afternoon, but couldn't promise anything more as she had things of her own going on. And, unfortunately, her sister Colleen was out of town the weekend we were going to be in town.
Soon after Ardell and I made initial contact, she put me in touch with her cousin Christie, who was also a family history buff! Christie had researched a large part of her grandfather Christen Jensen's family as well as her grandmother Kristine Pedersen's family. Christie lives in one of the northern states, so we haven't had the chance to meet, but we emailed back and forth extensively!!! In fact, all of the pictures I posted in the last post came from Christie. She shared the family history research she'd completed for the Pedersen family, and I shared with her what I'd managed to find. The irony was that, where she had holes, I had information. And where I had holes, she had the information! We had both assembled the same information, but had done so via differing methods....where I had done the vast majority (99%) of my research online, she had actually been working with someone in Denmark who was physically looking up the information for her. And all of it that both of us had matched!
In the last year or so, I've fallen out of touch with Christie and Ardell, but have made a promise to myself that I will re-establish contact again. I'm planning on being in Elk Horn for Julefest at the end of the month, so I'm hoping I can catch up with Ardell again. I would love to spend more time with her asking what she remembers of her grandmother, and updating the descendants records...but, mostly, just spending some time with one of "the cousins". :o)
But back to the trip to Elk Horn with my parents. We arrived in Elk Horn earlier in the day and met up at the Genealogy Center on main street. Christie told me that she had put together a book about her grandparents, and that there was a copy at the Genealogy Center there. So, my parents and I were looking forward to finding it and spending some time looking through it! :o)
After spending some time there and also making a trip out to the Danish museum (we always check out the Immigrant Wall of Honor to look for my great-grandparents' names...and I always forget to get a picture!!!), we stopped in the Danish Inn for lunch. Ardell met us shortly for coffee.
Probably the funniest thing was my dad asking me if I knew what she looked like. I said, "No." He said, "Does she know what you look like?" I said, "No." Then he said, "Then how will you know when she gets here?" I said, "I'm guessing she'll be the one looking around for someone when she walks in the door." My dad just shook his head. haha
But that's what happened! As soon as she entered, I knew she must be Ardell. I walked over and greeted her, then walked back to our table with her. She and my dad talked about family for a long time, while I just sat and listened. As it turned out, it was more of a reunion than a first meeting. The Pedersen family used to have family reunions in Grand Island, Nebraska, and Ardell and my dad both remembered going! They must have met before...as kids. Too funny!
All in all, it was a fantastic day! Cousins were reunited, stories were exchanged, and family was drawn together. (And I went home with an almond pringle! YUM!)
Ardell and my dad.
(Those red suspenders he wears everywhere...they read "Great Dane" on each side! Sigh.)
To be continued...
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